Lizzy and Eli
by jigsawjazzz
Summary: Lizzy returns to Neptune almost three years after the night of her graduation party. She is finally going to try to reconnect with Logan. Her timing sucks and the night takes her in a wildly different direction.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This takes place in the spring of 2006, almost three years after Lizzy's graduation party. Turns out, Lizzy has ties to Neptune she doesn't know about.

LIZZY AND ELI

Chapter One

When I finally returned to Neptune three years after my one great night with Logan, I had no idea where the night would eventually take me. I knew Logan was living at the Neptune Grand, so that's where I went. I had not known that the day I arrived would turn out to be the same day as Logan and Dick's infamous Alterna Prom. Formulating a plan quickly, I sent my best dress out to be pressed and scheduled an emergency appointment with my mom's hair dresser. It took almost no convincing to get me to agree to the full treatment; facial, mani/pedi, deep condition. Janine tried to talk me into letting her cut my hair. I had been letting it grow for the last three years. I wasn't ready for that so we compromised. I let her trim it by a good four inches and roll it up in curlers the size of soup cans.

As I sat under the big dryer, I perused a celebrity rag that had a feature article about Logan's exploits over the last three years. I knew from one of my spies that Logan had refused to grant the writer an interview, so the article had become what's known as a "take down" piece, written deliberately to put the subject in the worst possible light. Although I already knew about his less than stellar past, I had never seen everything catalogued in one place, in chronological order. As I read, I was more convinced than ever that Logan needed someone in his life to provide some stability, love and support. He had been living a rudderless life practically since birth, and since his mother's death it had gotten worse. I did not presume to be that person, but I thought I should at least confront Logan and make sure he knew that I cared about what happened to him, and that the decisions he made affected me. I also planned on telling him that I had thought about him every day I had been away and that even though the timing had not been right for the two of us, it didn't mean that he was not worthy of someone's love.

I was able to slip unnoticed into the party amongst the other guests. I watched Logan for a little while, hoping for a chance to catch him alone. Timing worked against me once again however. Veronica Mars showed up a short time later and from that moment I saw firsthand how Logan's attention was completely consumed by her. Not long after her arrival I was privy to a conversation between the two of them and heard for myself exactly how Logan felt about her.

I chickened out. I got out of there quickly and immediately checked out. Changing out of my party duds, I threw on some old jeans and long sIeeved tee shirt, with a short sleeve top layered over it. I packed only what I needed for the night and arranged for the rest of my stuff to be put in storage for a few days. I hopped in the rental car and just started driving. Eventually I would go home, but the family was at The Cabin and I was not ready to go to a big empty house alone. I decided to get a drink and pulled over to the first bar I came across. I should have paid better attention to my surroundings. After downing three vodka tonics in rapid succession, I became aware that my presence had not gone unnoticed. Before I could leave, I was surrounded by a group of rather inebriated young men. I was in no mood for their shenanigans but they were persistent, taking advantage of my solitary state. It was then that my luck finally changed for the better.

Another patron at the bar watched as I was teased and harassed by the drunken guys. When they started putting hands on me, he stepped in and told them to leave me alone. At first they tried to ignore him, but he stared them down. A moment later, one of the guys recognized my would be rescuer and quickly corralled the others, making sure they understood with whom they were dealing. Whoever he was, they clearly were intimidated enough to return to the other side of the bar. My head was spinning when I turned to the other man to thank him. The words didn't come. Instead I stared at him, struck by his quiet strength and confidence. And his anger. Because he was angry, with me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing in here alone? This is not a safe place for your kind." I could only gawk at him, mesmerized by how his eyes flashed at me. He waved a hand in front of my face. "Hello? Anybody in there?" And then I realized that I knew who he was.

"Weevil? Oh my god, it is you!" I tried to climb down off the tall bar stool, but stumbled. Weevil caught me and placed a stabilizing arm around my waist.

"Okay, take it easy. Let's get you out of here." Still supporting me, he reached over and scooped up my handbag and started walking me towards the door.

"Wait, I have to pay for my drinks."

He kept walking. "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it." As we approached the door, he called out to the bartender. "Milio, put her drinks on my tab."

"Sure thing Eli."

Once outside, I took a deep breath and tried to stand on my own. I was still a bit unsteady so Eli maintained his hold on me. Even though my head was swimming from the alcohol, I was also very aware that his closeness was affecting me in a most surprising and pleasant way. Throwing caution to the wind, I leaned in to him and rested my head against his chest, my hands sliding onto his broad, strong shoulders. "Thank you Weevil, for coming to my rescue." I took another deep breath and was instantly intoxicated by the combination of his cologne, soap and his natural musky scent. It was a heady mixture. I switched to shallow breathing, not wanting Eli to think I was more drunk than I actually was.

Belatedly, I became singularly aware of the intimacy of the situation. Tilting my head, I risked looking at him again, hoping his anger had faded a little at least. I think I caught him off guard and surprised a look that was most decidedly not motivated by anger. His eyes had lost the glare and softened considerably. The scowl had been replaced by a wistfulness that took my breath away. "Eli?"

He looked up and marshaled his emotions. When he looked back down, he wore his usual smirk. "You're welcome, princess. You feelin better yet?" He was pretending to be a little annoyed.

I took the hint and stepped back. "Yeah, sorry." Self-consciously, I reached out to take my handbag from him, looking away sheepishly. "Thanks again for your help," I stammered, suddenly very nervous.

"Uh huh," he murmured. I looked around distractedly. He regarded me apprehensively. "Look at you. You're in no shape to drive. You better come with me."

"Where are you going?"

"Just to a place I know." When I hesitated, he became mildly derisive. "Relax chica, I'm not luring you back to my lair." This of course only served to make me more apprehensive. Softening, he smiled and added, "I'm just gonna go get some dinner. You look like you could use a good meal."

Smiling back at him weakly, I replied, "You're not wrong." And that's how I wound up having dinner with Eli "Weevil" Navarro, former leader of the PHC Biker gang.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: This takes place in the spring of 2006, almost three years after Lizzy's graduation party. Turns out, Lizzy has ties to Neptune she doesn't know about.**

LIZZY AND ELI

Chapter Two

I was mildly surprised when Eli escorted me to the passenger side of a pitch black Mustang instead of the motorcycle I'd been expecting to see. Truthfully, I was also a bit relieved. I'm not sure how riding behind him on his hog would have affected me just then. As he walked around to the driver's side, I told myself to relax and calm down. He was just taking me someplace nearby for some food. No big deal. I didn't know why I was so damn nervous all of a sudden. I mean, I had just spent the last three years traveling the world, meeting many people including heads of state, diplomats, a few ambassadors and even some honest to goodness royalty. My family had made sure my time abroad was very well spent. So why was the idea of eating a meal with Eli Navarro so intimidating? What in the world would we talk about over dinner? We really didn't know each other at all.

Once we were on the road, Eli took care of one of my immediate concerns. "So what brings you back to Neptune?"

Not wishing to get into the whole failed scheme to get back in touch with Logan, I instead focused on my other, more acceptable reason for coming back to the states. "It's time for me to pick a school and begin my studies. I start in the fall."

"You don't know where you're going?"

"Not yet. I've narrowed it down to about five or six possibilities. The parentals are hoping I decide on Yale or Stamford, but I'd rather go someplace smaller and not quite so far away."

"Why is that?"

"Well, I don't really need to go to a fancy, prestigious school for my undergrad degree. If I decide to pursue a post-grad degree, that's the time to trade up to someplace impressive. Plus, I've been away from my family for three years. I miss them. If I stay in Cali, I'll have more opportunities to visit on weekends and holidays."

"So you haven't been back in all that time, not even once?"

"Nope. Mom was adamant that I stay abroad until it was time to start school again. I had to lobby pretty hard to be able to come back and just enjoy the summer before fall semester begins."

"You don't get along or something?"

"No, nothing like that. She just felt it was important for me to really be on my own, learn to be in the world independently, without the chance to run home when things got rough."

"And did they? Get rough I mean?"

"Oh yeah. I had a lot of fun, certainly, but I also had to work a lot. It wasn't just a three year long vacation. I had to do everything myself a lot of the time. My family connections allowed me entry to places, but once there I was expected to step up, find a place to live, find work, cook, shop, clean, pay the bills, all of it. The only real help I got was having my medical expenses covered. Dad insisted on that and Mom agreed it was a good idea. Health insurance is nonsensically expensive!"

"Tell me about it. My premium just went up again. And the deductible went up too."

I shook my head. "The state of healthcare in this country is beyond pitiful. So much money spent and most doesn't even go towards keeping anyone healthy."

"Don't get me started. It'll piss me off and ruin my dinner."

"Deal." We had arrived at a Tex-Mex style restaurant, so we tabled our conversation as Eli pulled into the lot and parked.

As I removed my seatbelt, Eli said, "Let me come around and open the door for you." I was just a little surprised and touched by his consideration. Opening the door, he offered me his hand, smirking a little. He said, "We wouldn't want you to trip again."

I took his hand and smiled up at him sweetly as I stepped from the car. "Thank you Eli." I waited as he closed and locked the car, sighing in an exaggerated way. My nervousness had almost evaporated and I realized I was truly looking forward to this dinner. He was bound to be an engaging companion for the evening at the very least. Playing his part admirably, he turned and offered me his arm. The little smile playing on his lips caused my tummy to flip around a little.

Intrigued, I took his arm and let him escort me to the entrance. He moved ahead, catching my hand in his, and opened the door for me. His attention to the little things was enchanting, I must say. As I passed by him, his hand rested at the small of my back. We were seated at a small circular booth toward the back, somewhat separated from the area where larger groups and families were seated by a half wall topped by a row of large potted plants. I was grateful for the buffer from the more raucous groups.

Eli was good at putting me at ease, sliding around in the booth so we could share a menu and he could describe some of the house specialties. He was funny and clever and made outrageous claims about the different choices. Minutes later, after drinks and apps were served, he was smooth, drawing me out over chips and salsa, asking me about my travels. His questions were insightful, droll and downright surprising a time or two. When he learned that I had been to Angkor Wat twice, he grilled me for ten minutes. When I asked him why he was so fascinated, he said that he'd seen a documentary about it when he was a kid and thought it was the most exotic place he had ever seen. Since then, he'd watched everything he could find, including an episode of a "reali-travel" type show that investigates legends like Bigfoot and claims of extraterrestrials, specters and the like. Smiling bemusedly at his obvious enthusiasm, I tucked this info away for later.

By the time our entrees were served, I had twice caught myself gazing somewhat distractedly at his rather large, soulful, amazingly captivating eyes. The second time, he noticed. He said nothing and simply let the sudden silence between us be. He didn't look away either. Slowly, a little smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and those magnificent eyes began twinkling brazenly. His voice was different, more provocative, when he asked, "You see something you like?"

Realizing I was busted, I tore my gaze from his mouth. I returned his somewhat rakish smile with a genuine smile of my own. But I was my mother's daughter. I leaned closer and put my chin on my hand and said, "Do you know, you have the longest, prettiest eyelashes I have ever seen on a dude." And then I heaved a big sigh. This had the desired effect. Eli's face flushed and I saw real amusement flash in his eyes as he laughed deeply and appreciatively. As my laughter joined his, I was more than a bit surprised by the effect the sound was having on me. If I thought his eyes were gorgeous before, now that they were lit from within and all crinkly at the corners, I was thinking I had never seen such fine eyes.

Still laughing, Eli requested "Sweetheart, please let that be the last time you ever call me dude."

Telling myself the endearment meant nothing, but secretly thrilled by it, I said softly, "Deal. And yes, I do see something I like." Eli had no time to respond before the server arrived with our dinner. A little flustered, I focused on the waiter. When I glanced at Eli, I was a bit shocked to see that I wasn't the only one discombobulated. After the server departed, Eli nervously adjusted the dishes in front of him. I felt instantly chastened. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn't even think to ask…I meant no offense to Mrs. Navarro if you're…you know, married… or whatever."

Recovering quickly, Eli's lips pressed together as he sort of tried to suppress a smile, but not really. "Oh, you're smooth alright," he quietly responded, his eyes still glittering. Leaning closer, he added, "I'm not uncomfortable chica. I just was not expecting you to say that. You kinda threw me for a loop."

"Is that so?" I was vamping. The sound of his voice, low so no one would overhear, was doing funny things to me. I was having trouble concentrating on anything other than how good he smelled.

He nodded. Looking down, he continued, "I uh…I'm also not married yet." Belatedly realizing this could be misconstrued, he hurried to clarify. Looking up again, he said, "I mean, I don't mean 'not yet' as in, I'm _getting_ married. I just mean…hell, you know what I mean."

"Check." I couldn't help myself. I fought to conceal my amusement at his confusion. I was somewhat unsuccessful.

He glared at me. "What?"

I raised my eyebrows, feigning ignorance. "Hmmm?"

"What is that smile about?"

The smile in question grew as I asked, "What smile? I don't know what you're talking about."

He rolled his eyes in mock disgust. "Eat your dinner."

"Right."

"What, do you have a last word fetish or something?"

Grinning, I had to sneak in one last volley. "No." This time he could not completely hide his grudging admiration for my quiet audacity.

"You think you're pretty cute, don't you?"

I shrugged and waggled my head. Adjusting my posture slightly, I muttered, "Like you don't," sarcastically under my breath.

Managing to overcome whatever slight nervousness he may have been feeling, Eli put a hand behind one ear. "Wazzat?" his expression overly inquisitive on purpose.

Unwrapping my silverware, I gushed, "This smells amazing," deliberately avoiding his eyes.

After making a show of taking my first bite, I looked up at him. "MmmmmmMMMMMM! Deeeelish!"

He regarded me suspiciously through narrowed eyes, his head tilted back. "Mmmmhm."

We tabled our verbal ping pong match, no pun intended, and tucked in. Eli had chosen well. As we ate, I steered the conversation away from me. I wanted to hear about home. "So tell me about what's been going on in Neptune."

He shrugged. "It's Neptune. Story's pretty much been the same for the last twenty years. The rich get richer and everybody else gets to fend for themselves."

"Aptly put. So how bad are things Eli?"

"Aaaahhh, you know, we're pretty tough. We'll be alright. At least Keith is back in as Sheriff. He doesn't go in for favoritism towards Neptune's best and brightest. And the new mayor's a good guy. Things could be a lot worse."

"Keith?"

"Sheriff Mars. We finally got him re-elected last year."

"You know the Sheriff?"

He chuckled and the sound hit me like a punch to the gut. Kinda took my breath away for a second or two. "Sheriff Mars first arrested me when I was twelve years old." He seemed to have fond memories of being arrested.

I looked at him, equal parts confused and exasperated. Pointedly, I observed. "So you go way back then? That's nice."

"Eli?" Turning to where the voice had come from, I was met with the vision of an extremely beautiful woman. She was tall and slender, with long dark hair, dark, wide-set eyes and the most flawless complexion I have ever seen. She was standing just a few feet away, staring at Eli.

I turned back to him. He was looking a bit thunderstruck. "Selina!" After a few moments he added. "I didn't know you were back in town."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So Lizzy, having been rescued by Eli from the unwanted attentions of a group of drunken cholos, has agreed to have dinner with him. Eli quickly puts a nervous Lizzy at ease, encouraging her to talk about her travels. Just as Lizzy realizes that she is more than a little attracted to Eli, someone from his past enters the scene.**

LIZZY AND ELI

Chapter Three

Selina stepped over to the table. "I've been back for a little over a month." Self-consciously, she added, "My sister's having some trouble with her pregnancy. She's on bed rest now, so I came back to help out."

Recovering gracefully, Eli slid out of the booth to greet his friend properly. "It's good to see you," he said as he placed a quick, chaste kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry to hear Rocky's havin a hard time." He gestured to me. "This is Lizzy. She just got back to Neptune today. She's been traveling abroad for the last three years. Lizzy, this is Selina, an old friend. "

I smiled obligingly and offered my hand. "Nice to meet you."

The stunning woman briefly clasped my outstretched hand before remarking, a smirk marring her delicate features. "You just got back today? Same old Eli. You always did work fast."

Eli's face clouded a little. Returning to my side, he admonished her. "Now, now. Play nice please."

I behaved as if I had not noticed the subtle slight aimed at me. "Your sister's name is Rocky?"

After a brief pause, the woman explained grudgingly. "It's short for Raquel."

"Raquel. That's a beautiful name." As I said this, a very handsome, well-dressed man approached our booth.

"Selina. Our table's ready." Selina turned to acknowledge his arrival. He placed an arm around her waist. "David, this is Eli Navarro, an old…friend. And this is Lizzy…."

"Carmichael," I supplied.

The handsome man did a double take. "Any relation to Robert Carmichael?"

"He is my brother," I answered, recognizing the signs of someone paying attention to me because of who I am related to.

As Eli innocently asked, "Who is Robert Carmichael?" I registered the growing enmity from the tall, beautiful woman.

David looked at Eli condescendingly. "Uh, he's the State AG." At Eli's blank stare, he filled in, "Attorney General," dismissively.

Eli let his eyebrows lift to express his mild surprise. Looking at me, he grinned and leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, "Didn't know I was having dinner with royalty," his tongue metaphorically in cheek.

Casually I quipped, "I usually wait until the second date to throw my family connections around," appreciating the absurdity of the situation along with him, while flashing him a dazzling smile to boot.

Unhappy with the lack of attention from Eli, Selina said, "I'm glad I ran in to you. I have been meaning to get in touch." When Eli didn't bite, she upped the ante. "You should stop by to see Rocky sometime. She'd love to see you and needs all the visitors she can get. She's going a little stir crazy." Eli agreed to make some time to visit her pregnant sister, but seemed unwilling to commit to anything specific. Piqued, Selina simpered, "Well, at least let me know when you'll be stopping by. If I can, I'll join you. It will give us a chance to…catch up." She smiled enticingly, ignoring me completely. Because I was watching him closely, I noticed that Eli was a bit on edge.

"We should get going." Her companion was getting bored.

"It was nice meeting you," I lied. "Enjoy your dinner." Neither of them returned my salutation. Selina continued to smile at Eli and he continued to glare at her. Before turning to go, she added, "See ya round Weevs," sounding all kinds of confident.

I waited a bit to see how he would react to her not very subtle flirtation. He looked down, shaking his head, a derisive smirk contorting his features. Clearly they had a history that had left Eli angry and resentful. I admit, I was more than a little annoyed with the woman who had affected his mood so negatively. I was overcome with an irrational desire to pay someone to spit in her dinner. Instead I decided to channel my energy in a more constructive way. Flagging down our waiter, I asked for the dessert menu. Eli asked me to pick something for him and excused himself. I employed my time wisely and by the time he returned, the check was taken care of and our dessert was boxed up and ready to go. I looked at him provocatively. "Let's blow this pop stand, dadio."

He regarded me quizzically. "What are you up to?"

I slid out of the booth and handed him his jacket. Innocently I explained, "I thought it would be more fun to enjoy our dessert somewhere else. On the beach maybe." I didn't blink as he scanned me closely, as if attempting to read my mind. "I mean, if you have the time, that is." I found myself nervously awaiting his response.

I don't know what he saw or what he was thinking, but I recognized the moment his defenses dropped. He smiled. "Yeah, I have the time Niña. Let me just take care of the check."

"Ummm." I bit my bottom lip.

"What?"

"Now don't be mad. I already paid the check. Please let this be my treat Eli. You've been so wonderful tonight, coming to my rescue, and bringing me here. Besides, it was my turn to pick up the tab."

He shook his head, but his grin expanded. "I didn't really do that much Lizzy."

I tilted my head and made him look at me directly. I wanted him to hear me and know how much I appreciated his help and his companionship. "Well, it means a lot to me," I countered softly and leaned forward to place a soft kiss near his mouth, resting a hand lightly against his chest. I definitely caught him off guard. He inhaled sharply and pulled back to look at me intently. All I could do was stare at his mouth. He was quiet for a long time and I began to worry that I had gone too far.

Just as I was about to apologize and stammer out something lame about the sometimes strange effects of jetlag, he reached behind me to scoop up the bag containing our dessert. "Yeah, we definitely need to do this somewhere else."

As he ushered me out of the restaurant, I noticed that at least one pair of eyes followed our movements closely. I replayed his words in my head, wondering at their exact meaning. Intrigued, I said, "I'll meet you at the car. I just need to use the ladies' room first." I did not keep him waiting too long, but I made sure that my hair was combed and my lips were freshly glossed before joining him outside.

He was quiet as we drove away from the restaurant. I glanced at him surreptitiously, trying to gage his mood. I found myself wanting to smooth the scowl from his face and make him smile again. I had no idea what to say or do to bring that about so I simply stared at him until he became aware of my gaze. When he looked over at me, I tilted my head and asked, "You okay?"

He looked away sheepishly before answering. "Yeah darlin, I'm fine. Sorry, I got kinda preoccupied for a minute."

"It's okay," I breathed at him. "I'll let you make it up to me."

I was rewarded with a responding spark I saw in his eyes as the corners of his mouth turned up a little. "Is that right? And just what do I have to do?"

I let my gaze travel down to where his hands loosely gripped the steering wheel, then drift slowly back to his mouth before allowing myself to sigh expressively. Holding my breath, I peeked up at him, hoping my silliness would coax him into a more favorable frame of mind. He looked slightly alarmed until he saw the twinkle in my eye. His lips twitched as he tried to suppress the smile that leapt to his lips when he realized I was teasing him. I started to giggle and he could not hold back a deep chuckle. Grinning, I said, "That'll do it. You're forgiven."

Without thinking, he observed, "Just like that? Wow, you're easy." A moment later, his eyes wide, Eli turned red. "I mean, I don't mean you're _easy_ as in, ummm …." he trailed off self-consciously.

My voice and manner were straightforward and guileless as I tried to help him complete the thought. "A turbo slut?"

He dropped his head, recognizing his mistake, a wry smile turning his lips up. I felt like I was unable to look away from them. I forced myself to turn and look out at the world at large, even though my focus was squarely inside the vehicle. I was suddenly hyper aware of his hands on the steering wheel and how powerful his arms seemed. I found myself wondering what it would feel like to be enclosed in those arms. I swallowed hard and tried not to look like I was struggling to breathe normally. Anxious for any kind of distraction, I lowered the window and stuck my hand out to catch the wind.

Visibly relaxing, Eli switched on the radio, filling the compartment with instrumental Latin music. We traveled in an easy bubble, each temporarily consumed by our own thoughts. Or perhaps we were just trying to avoid any more awkwardness. Distractedly I wondered where we were going. Eli seemed to have a destination in mind. I watched our surroundings as he maneuvered the car from the infamous 02 zip code, recognizing places that had been around forever, as well as noticing a number of changes. I was surprised to see the old drive-in movie theater was still around, but not shocked when Eli told me it had closed the year before.

I sat staring at the open, empty lot, remembering the many happy times shared with friends and family. Without meaning to say anything out loud, I must have voiced a wish to go inside. Five minutes later, Eli was helping me over a partially crumbled wall on the far end of the property. I had the bag from the restaurant in one hand. Eli held my other hand as I climbed up a small pile of fallen bricks. As I stepped on to the top of the wall, Eli moved my free hand to his shoulder as he reached up and grasped me about the waist with both hands. He lifted me down to the ground easily, spinning us around so that my feet cleared the rubble inside the wall. I looked up at him, my expression no doubt reflecting my surprise and appreciation. His face was next to unreadable in the shadows, but I swear I saw a hint of that wistfulness from earlier, mixed with something else.

My eyes shifted to his mouth and it seemed for a moment that he was leaning in to me, when just as suddenly he stepped down from the partially hidden cinder block he'd been standing on and gently eased past me on the narrow path leading away from the wall, his hands dropping down. Instinctively, my hand slid from his shoulder and into his right hand as he slowly followed the overgrown path towards the back of the giant movie screen. Clearly he'd been here before.

A few minutes later we were perched on the edge of the platform in front of the screen. I busied myself with pulling the box from the bag and finding the forks and napkins at the bottom. "Please tell me you like chocolate." Eli moved a bit to his left to create a space for the box between us.

"The fudgier, the better," he grinned, accepting a fork and a napkin from me. "Sounds like you went for my favorite seven-layer chocolate cake."

"It was practically calling my name. I also bribed our waiter to add a container of whipped cream and some strawberries."

"Damn girl, you sure know how to throw an impromptu picnic together on short notice."

I snarked, "Oh yes, I'm a whiz when I have a menu of food to choose from and a restaurant full of waiters clambering to do favors for patrons, for a consideration of course."

Eli tossed his head in agreement, "Goes without sayin." He turned to me, crossing his legs in front of him. "You sure do talk good."

I spun to my left to face him. Placing my hands on the dessert box, I looked up at him seductively. "Are you ready to be tempted Eli?"

After a moment he responded, "As I'll ever be," his voice noticeably husky. And did he just swallow really hard?

Flustered, I looked down to hide my momentary confusion and opened the lid of the box containing a gigantic piece of 7 layer, dark chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting between the layers and a thick dark chocolate ganache on top. I inhaled deeply, allowing the delicious aroma to fill my lungs. I took a few moments to carefully open the containers of whipped cream and strawberries before daring to look at Eli again. "How bout them apples?" I queried, hoping the irony would distract him.

He played along. "Chica, I think you might need to get your eyes checked. These are strawberries, not apples."

I plucked the top berry from the container and held it up between us. "Strawberries you say?" I took a bite and pretended to consider it carefully before swallowing. "I guess they'll just have to do." He grinned at my silliness as I handed him one of the plastic forks.

"All kidding aside, this is really nice."

Stealing the fork back, I said, pretending to be affronted. "Nice?" I pierced the ganache, scooping up a big forkful. "This is a damn sight better than nice," I declared as I held it in front of his mouth challengingly. This time he held my gaze and I forced myself to hold his back. Without breaking eye contact, he leaned forward a little, opening his mouth to accept the offering. I could not keep my gaze from his lips as they closed around the fork I still held. Once again I watched, helpless, as a slow smile graced them as he leaned back again to allow the fork to slide out. Fearing that he could hear how my heart was pounding, I nervously glanced up into his eyes again as he swallowed the sweet concoction. They twinkled at me devilishly as he breathed, "When you're right, you're right."


End file.
